Wireless technology provides many options for enhanced mobility in computing. For example, a modern computer user may use a wireless handheld computer to connect to a communications network, such as the Internet. The mobile characteristic of a wireless handheld computer allows a user to access the communications network from different access points, even within a single network session. For example, a user may maintain Internet access through a wireless computing device while riding a light rail train to work during his morning commute. However, the access points through which he accesses the Internet are likely to change during the commute
Mobility support for wireless computers grows more important as mobile computing becomes more widespread. As such, efforts are underway to standardize such mobility support. One continuing effort is reflected in the evolving Mobile IPv6 standard, a mobility protocol for IPv6 (short for “Internet Protocol Version 6”). IPv6 is the “next generation” protocol designed by the Internet Engineers Task Force (IETF) to replace Internet Protocol, IP Version 4 (“IPv4”). However, existing approaches and proposals relating to Mobile IPv6 require excessive message handshaking or fail to adequately address security issues.